friendship and strangership
It's not uncommon to see men and men or women and women casually holding hands or walking with their arm around eachothers shoulders.
It's not uncommon to bow to people that pass by you.
It's not uncommon to bump shoulders with someone, step on their shoes, or be squished too many people in an elevator and you smile at them.
It's not uncommon that someone will show you the way by walking you partway there.
It's not uncommon to take a nap at someone's house you don't know well.
It's not uncommon to severely scold someone else's child or feed them or help them blow their nose.
It's not uncommon that someone passing by will yell out advice or guidance for how to better squeeze your car into a parking spot.
It's not uncommon to stop and engage with people who are begging for money or food.
It's not uncommon someone will show up unexpectedly at your front door instead of making an appointment.
It's not uncommon someone will call you for no reason just to say hello, how are you, and then that's it.
The idea of "stranger" and "friend" is different in habesha culture. The idea of "brother" and "sister" or "cousin" or "aunt" is different. I've been thinking about this for many years. It shows more here in ethiopia, though then at home.
My aunt told me a story where she left her child in the car seat while she ran into the store with her mother (she was visiting from abroad but her mother had been living in Ethiopia continuously). Someone came in the store and asked them to move the car so he could get out of parking spot. Her mom just handed this person the keys. The person moved the car and then brought the keys back. Child was fine.
I'll give you the summary: People can be unbelievably kind, accommodating and just, generally, INVOLVED and INTIMATE in your life on a level you can't imagine if you haven't experienced it. Some of this comes from pleasantries and forced cultural expectations. And I also think some of it is a fundamentally different way of viewing relationships and interconnection.
Along those lines, I miss you humans, family and chosen family. Send me more news of what you are doing, about you and yours, about us, about the world and about the revolution too. Let me know what is on your mind.
andulkaphoto
vaporwave
2087
